Safety railroad-car



(NorModel.)

C. R. MGMANIS. SAFE-TY RAILROAD GAR.

2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 Patented Apr. Z4, 1894.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2. C. R. MGMANIS.' SAFETY RAILROAD GAR.

Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

THE NATIONAL Llmoannpnme COMPANY.

WASHINGTON. n. c.

*UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE. f

CHARLES RANDoL'PH'McMANrs, oF KEOKUK, oWA.

SAFETY RAILROAD-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters. Patent No. 518,854, dated April 24, 1894. Application filed December 30, 1893. Serial No. 495,206. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES RANDOLPH MCMANIS, a citizen of the United States, re-

class of railroad cars adapted for carrying the United States mail, baggage, money, and other valuables, and where it isjrequired to protect the car against sudden attacks by highwaymen and others whose object it is to obtain possession of the valuables.

The invention therefore consists of a car constructed partly or wholly of metal substantially in the manner shown in the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a car constructed in accordance with myinvention, the roof thereof being partly broken away to show the interior; Fig. 2 a horizontal section. thereof.

In the accompanying drawings A represents the body of the car which is constructed of suitable metal in any desirable manner, and if preferred may have an outer covering of wood. This covering however is not essential but may be resorted to to give to the car upon the outside a better appearance. The car upon one or both of its sides is provided with compartments B which have two sliding doors C D of any suitable construction and also hinged doors E at one end of the compartments whereby access can be obtained thereto. The doors E are provided with suitable and well known meansfor rendering them self locking when closed so thatthey can be only opened-from the outside of the compartment and by a personinside of the car.

The doors C D may be constructed in any well known manner whereby they'will freely slide intheir bearings when opening and closing them,similar to the ordinary sliding doors now 1n common use. The doors have suitable handles for operating them as shown at a, the handle of the door Cextending inwardly from the compartment side so that it can be /where the train would stop to take on baggage or mail matter, especially at night, it is desirable to take `every precaution against any sudden attempt on the part of any one to enterthe car for the purpose of robbery. To

Yprovide against this night attack the compartments with their several doors are especially designed, and when the car stops at any station during the hours of the night in small country towns, the baggage-master or attendant of the mail-car first opens the end door E to pass into the compartment B, after which the doory is closed and automatically locks itself from the outside. The person now within the compartment B opens the sliding door` C to receive or deliver the mail, baggage, or other valuables, and after closing the sliding door, the same are passed into the car through the door D which is only opened after the door C is closed. When the door C is open to receive or deliver the mail, baggage, or other valuables, the doors D E remain closed so that should any one for the purpose of robbery get as far as the compartment Bit would be impossible for them to pass from the compartment into the car as said compartment would be closed upon all sides located within the car and the doors D E could not be opened exceptby the person within the car and outside of the compartment. In large cities Where there is less danger, the doors D may ybe left open when arriving at the station un- IOO with hinged doors I-I Which :may be provided with suitable means for locking them closed. When closed, these doors will exclude the light from the interior of the chambers which would otherwise enter from the lights in the car, thus enabling the person or persons in the chamber to operate better with their rifles through the port-holes.

The car at one or both ends may be provided with a suitable hinged door I through which access may be had thereto, the door or doors having the usual locks operated from the inside.

The end of the car may have a suitable ventilating opening c which is protected with a shield to prevent. bullets or shot entering, said shield being shown in dottedlines, Fig. l.

Along the upper portion of the car-body A and immediately under the projecting edge of the car-root K, are a number of Windows L provided with thick glass. These Windows are either opened or closed by sliding blinds M upon each side of the car, each series of blinds being connected together by transverse bars d at their ends and a central bar e. This central bar has a slot through which projects a hand-lever Nhinged or pivoted to a bracket frigidly connected to the under side of the roof K ot the car. Any suitable means may be employed for operating the sliding blinds and any desirable form of blind may be used in place of those shown, and many changes or modifications may be made in the several details of construction Without departing from the principle of my invention.

The carin whole or in part may be constructed of boiler iron, steel, or any other metal found best adapted to the purpose, and the several compartments and chambers with their doors may be variously modied and changed in form so long as it comes Within ordinary mechanical skill.

Placing the defense-chambers at the corners of the car and projecting them out from the sides thereof, is deemed of material importance from the fact that a greater range can be obtained with the rifle by the person 1ocated in the chamber.

The blinds when adj usted to close the Windows will exclude the light which is of itself important when an attack is being made from the outside of the car.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A safety-car having upon its sides suitable Windows, and means for covering or exposing the Windows to light or darken the interior of the car, consisting of a plurality of blinds connected togetherand to transverse rods and a central slotted bar, and an operating hand-lever pivoted to a bracket projecting down from the roof of the car, said lever projecting through the slot in the bar whereby the entire number of blinds upon both sides of the car may be operated simultaneously, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Asafety-car provided with defense-chambers located at the corners thereof and having port-holes and slides therefor, compartments located within the car and having doors upon both its sides and at one end, suitable Windows upon the sides of the car connected together and to transverse rods and a central slotted bar, and a pivoted hand-lever projecting from the roof of the car and eX- tending down through the slot in the bar, whereby the blinds upon both sides of the car may be operated simultaneously, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES RANDOLPH MCMANIS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. HIXsoN, J AMES MoMANIs. 

